MANILA (Mabuhay) – The Office of the Ombudsman has dismissed a tax specialist of the One-Stop Shop Inter-agency Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center of the Department of Finance (DOF).

Jessie Javier Carlos, Tax Specialist I, was sued by the Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) for failing to disclose all his assets in his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN). His dismissal takes effect immediately.

In a 17-page decision, the Ombudsman dismissed Carlos for Grave Misconduct and Gross Neglect of Duty for not declaring his house and lot in Manila in his SALNs from 2003 to 2006, his Toyota Innova SUV in his 2007 SALN, and his business interest in his 2010 SALN.

Carlos, whose total income from 2001 to 2011 grossed P2,460,156, was found by the Ombudsman to have purchased in cold cash two farm lots in Tanauan City, Batangas for P4,000,000 in 2010.

The Ombudsman also took note of Carlos’ huge loans. “With respect to respondent’s liabilities, noticeable is that his credit card liabilities in the amounts of P600,000 and P4,000,000, respectively, remained dormant for several years with the latter loan increased to P5,000,000 in 2010. Noteworthy to mention is the fact that notwithstanding the huge credit he incurred, he was not deterred from obtaining another vehicle in 2010, a Hyundai Starex Van worth P 1,600,000.”

“To our mind, the incurrence of tremendous loans posed us these questions: (1) how can he be able to pay these loans and obtain some more when he has no other business interest or financial connections declared in his SALNs from 2000 to 2010? (2) who are his creditors who can lend him millions of pesos without him paying any single centavo for years?”

“The failure to declare some of his assets at the time these assets were actually acquired and/or registered under his name and his scheme of claiming several indebtedness without giving particulars, i.e., from whom he acquired these enormous loans can also reflect his evil desire to conceal his ill-gotten wealth.”

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by RIPS in December 2011. Corollary to Carlos’ dismissal are the following: cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, and perpetual disqualification for reemployment in the government service.

In a separate decision, the Ombudsman also ordered the filing of criminal charges against Jessie Carlos for violation of Section 7 of Republic Act No. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) in relation to Section 8 of R.A. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees), Article 171(4) (Falsification), and Article 183 (Perjury) of the Revised Penal Code. (MNS)